In a recent ruling, the Kerala High Court held that a wife’s statutory right to maintenance under the Domestic Violence Act cannot be waived through a private agreement. The case involved a divorced couple, where the wife sought interim maintenance under Section 20 of the PWDVA. The husband, a pilot earning ₹8.35 lakh per month, claimed she had waived her right post-divorce. The Court ruled such waivers are unenforceable as they violate public policy. Citing Rajnesh v. Neha, it granted interim maintenance, considering the wife’s lack of income and standard of living. The husband was ordered to clear arrears within 30 days.